Safety razor



c. DIXON ET AL m@ SAFETY RAZOR Filed July 51', 1954 2 sheets-sheet 2 atentecl pr. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY RAZOR Application July 31, 1934, Serial No. 737,814 In Great Britain May 15, 1934 5 Claims.

This invention relates to safety razors of the kind in which a reciprocating movement is imparted to the blade when the razor is moved across and in contact with the skin of the user.

It is usual in razors of the above type to reciprocate the blade by means comprising friction rollers adapted to contact with the face of the user and to rotate one or more associated.

cam surfaces which in turn impart the required movement to the blade through a lever or interposed saddle. In each one of these prior proposals the reciprocating blade has been supported upon a stationary surface such as the base member of the razor.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved razor of the general type first mentioned and one of the most important improvements made consists in the provision of a reciprocating carriage upon which the blade is placed. This feature serves to reduce friction between the blade and a stationary part of the razor to a minimum.

Broadly the present invention may be said to consist of a safety razor of the type specied having a slidably mounted carriage to which a reciprocating movement is imparted when the razor is moved across and in contact with the skin of the user said carriage being adapted to receive on its upper surface and to detachably engage a razor blade whereby said blade receives, in use, a reciprocating movement from the carriage. v

A safety razor according to one embodiment of the invention comprises in combination a base member, a carriage slidably mounted upon said base member said carriage being adapted to receive on its upper surface a razor blade and provided with means for detachably engaging said blade, means for imparting a re ciprocating movement to said carriage when the razor is moved across and in contact with the skin of the user and a hinged or other cover adapted to close down onto or in close proximity to a positioned blade.

The term carriage is used to describe any reciprocable mounted member which is adapted to receive, in detachable engagement, ar razor blade for the purpose of imparting a reciprocating movement to the same.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and carried into effect an embodiment of the same will now be described by aid of the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete razor.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the carriage and the base member disassembled.

Fig. 3 Vis a sectional elevation of the complete razor to an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a further example of the same on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The safety razor illustrated in the drawings consists of three main parts, a base member A, a reciprocable carriage B serving as a support for the razor blade, and a cover plate C.

In the example illustrated the base member A is ofchannel section and comprises a base portion a, upstanding side walls b and laterally extending flanges c. At one end of this base member, and formed integral therewith, are two lugs d adapted to form a part of a hinged connection for the cover plate C. The opposite end of this base member is formed with a recess e to receive a clip member f carried by or forming part of one end of the cover plate C. The laterally extending flanges c have their extremities rounded and slightly bent over as indicated at c to provide the usual safety guards of the razor. These flanges may either be formed with elongated slots y as indicated, or the usual teeth, not shown.

As the anges c are intended to form a support for the razor blade indicated at h should the same Vflex or tilt in use and so that the reciprocating movement of such blade can be effected with as little friction as possible when flexed small bearing pads i are provided, such pads'projecting fromk lugs g' so as to be slightly proud of the upper surfaces of the flanges c.

In the present example the base member A is adapted to be mounted upon the upper end of a handle 1', and whilst any suitable form of connection may be used for axing this handle to the base member the method illustrated in the drawings is one that is both simple Yand effective. This method consists in forming the upper end of the handle with a circumferential lip lc and in providing the base a of the base member A with an aperture l to receive it. The lip Ic is of a greater height than the thickness lof the base a, so that when fitted it projects above such surface. The two parts are nally united by turning over the projecting portion of the lip, vertical slots Z' being cut at intervals around the aperture Z into which corresponding portions of the lip 1c are expanded to provide a lock between the two parts to prevent the parts from rotating.

The carriage B, serving normally to support the blade out of contact with the upper surfaces of the laterally extending flanges c, is also of channel section and is adapted to fit slidably between the sides b of the base member A and to rest upon the surface a in an inverted position, the width of such carriage being slightly less than the width between the sides b. The downwardly extending longitudinal sides of the carriage are cut away to form four shallow projections m one at each corner thereof and four intermediate projections n of greater length. The rst mentioned projections m serve to provide a support for the carriage when the same rests on the base portion a of the base member with the projections n extending' through four longitudinal slots a in the base portion A, such interengagement serving centrally to locate the carriage between the sides b of the base member, the length of such slots permitting the carriage to be given the required amount of reciprocatory movement.

Projecting from the upper surface of the carriage B are, in the example illustrated, a pair of short pins o. These pins are adapted to` extend through equivalently shaped and positioned apertures in a positioned blade It and to serve to locate the blade relatively to the carriage and to assist in maintaining the same iny position and also to provide means whereby the motion of the carriage is transmitted to a positioned blade. Any other equivalent form of connection may, however be employed. For example, in lieu of the pins o, the upper surface of the carriage may be embossed with lettering such lettering spelling, for example, the trade name under which the razor is sold, the blade in such case being suitably cut so as to t over such ernbossed projections. The projections in whatsoever form they may take project sufficiently proud of a positioned blade as to prevent the blade from riding up and becoming disengaged. To this end the projections stand up above the blade a distance equal to at least the total clearance existing between the opposing surfaces of the base member A and the cover plate C.

The cover plate C, in the present example, is curved on its upper surface as shown and formed with a central opening p and at each end thereof with upstanding lugs q. These lugs are formed with aligned apertures to provide bearings for pintles r extending from each end of a pair of serrated rollers s. These rollers are separated from each other to provide a central portion s of reduced diameter in which is cut a circumferential cam groove, t. Engaging between the opposing faces of this cam groove is a pin u which extends upwards from, and is rigidly attached to, the carriage B such engagement serving to cause the carriage to be reciprocated in accordance with the convolutions of the cam groove when the rollers s are rotated by the razor being moved across, and with the rollers in contact with, the skin of the user.

As shown the rollers s are located within the opening p so as partially to be accommodated within such opening thus permitting rollers of reasonable diameter to be employed and yet permitting the razor to be used in places such as beneath the nose of the user.

As before stated the cover plate is hingedly connected to the base member. For this purpose one end of the cover plate is provided with a downwardly extending hinged member v which at its lower end ts between the lugs d a connection therewith being formed by means of the usual hinge pin v' or by other suitable means.

When in the closed position the cover plate is held down by means of the aforesaid clip member f, with the flattened undersurface of its lateral edges just above the upper surface of a positioned blade and adjacent the cutting edges thereof serving thus to provide the clearance aforementioned through which water may flow during rinsing and between which the edges of the razor blade may move with the required freedom.

In the drawings the handle 7' is shown as being formed with a recess at its upper end. As this recess can form a trap for soap and other impurities the upper end of the handle may be closed, the connection between the handle and the base member being a detachable one and consisting for example of a central bolt or its equivalent extending through the central tubular portion of the handle and engaged at its upper end by a lock nut or the like.

So that a safety razor according to this invention may be converted to the fixed blade type when required a detachable locking pin or equivalent device may be provided to hold the carriage against movement. When so used the barrel cam and friction rollers may be removed. For this purpose the same may be made readily detachable.

Although the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings refers to a safety razor designed to use double edged blades the invention is not limited thereto as with but very small modification it can be adapted to employ single edged blades of either the seini-rigid or rigid type.

What we claim is:-

1. A safety razor including the combination with a handle of a channel shaped base member having laterally extending guards, longitudinal slots in the base of said base member, a U-shaped carriage located in an inverted position within said channel shaped base member and slidably supported on the base thereof by projections of relatively small area, further projections on said carriage extending through said longitudinal slots for locating said carriage, means for locating a flat blade on the upper surface of said carriage, a removable cover plate closable down above and in close proximity to the upper surface of a positioned blade, friction driven rollers revolubly mounted on said cover plate and above a positioned blade, cam surfaces associated with said rollers and revoluble therewith, and a driving pin carried by said carriage and extending upwards through a positioned blade for engagement between said cam surfaces for imparting a reciprocating movement to the carriage and a positioned blade by the rotation of the friction driven rollers when the razor is drawn across the skin of the user.

2. A safety razor including the combination with a handle of a channel shaped base member having laterally extending guards, longitudinal slots in the base of said base member, a U- shaped carriage located in an inverted position within said channel shaped base member and slidably supported on the base thereof by projections of relatively small area, further projections on said carriage extending through said longitudinal slots for locating said carriage, the upper surface of said carriage being above the level of the laterally extending guards so as to support a positioned blade clear of stationary surfaces, means for locating a ilat blade on the upper surface of said carriage, a removable cover plate closable down above and in close proximity to the upper surface of a positioned blade, friction driven rollers revolubly mounted on said cover plate and above a positioned blade, cam surfaces associated with said rollers and revoluble therewith, and a driving pin carried by said carriage and extending upwards through a positioned blade for engagement between said cam surfaces for imparting a reciprocating movement to the carriage and a positioned blade by the rotation of the friction driven rollers when the razor is drawn across the skin of the user.

3. A safety razor including the combination with a handle of a single piece base member bent to form a deep flat bottomed channel having guards extending laterally from the sides thereof, a single piece carriage bent into the form of a U having vertical sides of less width than the channel of the base member, projecting means on the bottom edges of the vertical sides of said carriage serving to slidably support the carriage in an inverted position on the bottom of the channel of the base member and for locating the carriage centrally within the channel, means for locating a flat blade on the upper surface of said carriage, a removable cover plate closable down above and in close proximity to the upper surface of a positioned blade, friction driven rollers revolubly mounted on said cover plate and above a positioned blade, cam surfaces associated with said rollers and revoluble therewith, and a driving pin carried by said carriage and extending upwards through a positioned blade for engagement between said cam surfaces for imparting a reciprocating movement to the carriage and a positioned blade by the rotation of the friction driven rollers when the razor is drawn across the skin of the user.

4. In a safety razor of the reciprocating blade type, in combination, a single piece base member bent to form a deep flat bottomed channel having guards extending laterally from the two sides thereof, a single piece carriage bent into the form of a U of less width than the channel in which it is located in an inverted position so as to be slidable on the base of the channel, vthe upper surface of said carriage being flat and provided with means for engaging a non-flexed double-edged blade, means for locating the carriage centrally within the channel of the base member to prevent the sides of the carriage from coming into contact with the sides of the channel, a friction driven roller having cams located above the blade, and means on the carriage coacting with cam surfaces on a friction driven roller for reciprocating the carriage and the blade as the razor is drawn across the face of the user.

5. In a safety razor of the reciprocating nonilexed blade type, in combination, a single piece base member bent to form a U-shaped channel, a single piece carriage slidably supported upon the base of the channel to impart a reciprocating movement to the blade, said carriage being bent into the form of a U having vertical sides of less width than the channel, and means for locating the carriage centrally within the channel so as to keep the sides of the carriage out of contact with the sides of the channel as the carriage is reciprocated.

CHARLES DIXON. HAROLD JULIAN WILBERFORCE RAPHAEL. 

